The Ferguson Police Department's actions appear misleading and remarkably cynical. They call into question the department's commitment to ensuring an independent and impartial investigation into the killing of Michael Brown. The video and incident report released are of dubious relevance. The decision to disclose them suggests an attempt to assassinate Mr. Brown's character by showing that he had roughly pushed a convenience store clerk on the day that he was killed. The one-sided and piecemeal disclosure of potentially irrelevant and prejudicial information, while continuing to withhold the critical police incident report that the public has demanded, suggests a desire to confuse rather than to shine a light on what happened.

Mr. Brown's family and the public deserve better. The Ferguson police's disclosures seem more like spin control than objective investigation. The department's apparent attempts to impugn the character of a shooting victim while withholding potentially revealing information about the conduct of its own police officer makes a mockery of the concepts of fairness and impartiality.

Therefore, the ACLU calls for an independent and comprehensive federal investigation by the Department of Justice of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. Without this, there can be no justice for the Brown family or honest conversation about excessive force, racialized policing, law enforcement accountability and transparency, and the kinds of systemic reforms that are critically needed to ensure fair and effective policing in Ferguson and throughout our country.

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The department's apparent attempts to impugn the character of a shooting victim while withholding potentially revealing information about the conduct of its own police officer makes a mockery of the concepts of fairness and impartiality.

Yeah, we can't have the truth get in the way of the Gentle Giant meme, can we?

Hell Ron Johnson openly sided with the “protesters” yesterday. The media keeps pretending he’s made things better but snuggling up to the black pampers and taking sides has only encouraged the worst behavior.

” The video and incident report released are of dubious relevance. The decision to disclose them suggests an attempt to assassinate Mr. Brown’s character by showing that he had roughly pushed a convenience store clerk on the day that he was killed. “

If they didn’t turn over information demanded by FOIA requests, the ACLU would also be outraged (depending on the information).

I think the video is completely relevant if the incident occurred just minutes before the confrontation. It shows the state of mind and general disposition of Brown beforehand. It also gives context of what the officer was dealing with.

The video and police report give a possible motive for Brown to attack the police officer. In short, it is critical to any understanding of the case. Of all people, the ACLU should be concerned about a fair investigation and, if warranted, a fair trial. However, it seems they might be okay with throwing the cop to the mob and applauding the lynching.

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